Poll --- Just for fun

Alright guys, I figure there is more whitetail hunting knowledge in this forum than anywhere else on the planet. I just joined a lease in South Texas and won't have much time at all to go scout the property. So, I'm relying on Google Earth, and limited knowledge about blinds / feeders etc... Question - Without any additional information, if you had to place a pop-up or tripod stand anywhere on this topo map, where would it be. This is really just for fun. I know this is probably the worst way of doing it. I've been whitetail hunting for 15 years. I'm just curious if there is a consensus on where a good starting point would be just look at topo info.

I would look at an satellite image from Google maps before a topo map.

No question that is the way to start!

A little past the end of that road in the SE corner. Always carry a side arm and be able to speak minimal Spanish.

I'm using google earth as well. Was just curious if there was a consensus on the topo. Google earth image attached.

Google earth is the greatest tool you can have given the lack of time you have to scout. Go back through the history (yearly images) to find where prior stand location were. That might give you a good idea of where you might want to start.

Well there is plenty of roads to get everywhere!

north west section of the property were the creeks intersect. That is were I would look.

Bottom left corner of the picture. Less roads and activity

There's feed pens set in those food plots on the west side. That's where I'd be unless they were already being used. In that case I'd probably road feed about 600 yards of one of those senderos and sit in the middle.

Somewhere close to the intersection of the two drainages in the NW section of the pasture where the pipeline/ROW cuts across heading NW and into what looks like an old field or open pasture.

that's exactly what I was thinking based solely on the topo map originally put in OP. Still agree after seeing the satellite image too.

The 4way ROW at the top of that green strip in the SW corner....and corn the ever living mess out of the ROWs.

Google corn bag. I havent hunted over for so long I cant remember. Walk or drive down a sendero tricklin corn and wait. If they are not in a high pressure area they will stop to eat for sure. Simple as pie.

We used to build brush blinds down there. Real natural. Snakes likem too.

Use to. 😝 oh ya. One good bow or gun helps too. Good luck. Mexicans everywhere and border patrol. I have a close friend that works as an poil and gas consultant down there. He finds dead headless bodies sometimes. 😎

Oil😅

If it would ever rain, I would go there and walk the area, look for tracks, to see where they are traveling. I have always tried to find trails and then put stands and feeders close to their travel patterns. A lot of guys do it backwards. Put a feeder up and hope that when they get hungry they will frequent a feeder.

Off topic, do you think it's dangerous hunting down there in South Texas? We are about 65 miles from the border. I live in Houston, so it's probably no more dangerous than driving down Richmond on a Tuesday morning.

creek

you shouldn't have any problems killing a deer on any part of the property. I like to drive slowly looking for tracks crossing the road , once you find an active "trail" maybe where a few intersect. Spread some corn out build a hide, and sit, usually within two-three days you will kill a buck.

This always looked for me when on a ranch you could move around on (not locked into a blind)

Watch your back down there. For the most part the drifters are peaceful. 60 miles is a real good buffer zone for smugglers and coyotes and immigrants. May never even see one. May of already caught that wagon back or north. An old man trick. Just look for old stands. Sometimes the folks before you already had it goin on good.

Boys in the hood may be worse.

x2

I do not think that it would be that dangerous. You have a lot better chance of something happening to you in Houston rather than on the border. As for all the stories of headless bodies and such that go around the oilfield, they are untrue. I worked for la migra for quite a while and there were never any intel reports, which surely would have been made if that would have happened. Think of it this way, drug trafficking is in the end a business. If they begin killing people and leaving things like that for US law enforcement to find what would happen? There would definitely be an increase in law enforcement and it would make it harder for them to cross their product and therefore hurt their business. Most of the people crossing the border will hide from you because they do not want to be called in on and then sent back. Most of these "horror" stories are made up to make people feel like they are brave and courageous. Now that kinda stuff does happen on the regular inside of Mexico, but that is more or less to people that are involved in some fashion or other with the drug trade or people associated with it. Just my experience and thought as someone who spent thousands of days playing the cat and mouse game on the border.

Great info. THX.

Blind locations marked. "!" are the areas I'm going to scout first. Thanks for all of the good ideas. Unfortunately the most recommended spot is outside of the property line (NW corner intersection of two creeks). DOH!

Looks like you are on the right track to me... Once you get some boots on the ground you will know for sure.

Pick a good looking sendero and scatter corn, preferably with a tailgate feeder and see what comes. Sometimes when scouting it's worthwhile to corn several locations and then see what's coming to each. Good luck.